John storer



` 'dialed iaitt @wat utilit.

JOHN STORER., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 104,226, dated June 14, 1870; antedated June 3, 1870.

CATARACT MECHANISM FOR STEAM-EN GINES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

ToA all whom 'it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN STORER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Cataract Mechanism for Steam-Engines; andI do hereby declare the following Vto be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification.

Y The drawing represents a vertical central section of this invention.

This invention relates to a cateractmechanism for steam-engines, in which the cylinder is placed into a cistern filled with water or other suitable liquid, and the plunger or weight, which serves to open the equilibrium or exhaust-valve ofthe steam-cylinder, is provided with a valve which opens at the required point,

and allows the plunger to drop and open the `equilibrium-valve.

In the drawing- The letterA designates the plunger, which connects by a lever extending from the stem of the balancevalve, or otherwise connected to said valve, so't-hat, when the plunger is allowed to descend, the balancevalve will be-opened.

Said plunger works in a` cylinder, C, which `is situated in a cistern, D, fllledwith water or other suitable iluid, and which is provided with avalve, a, at its bottom, so that, if the plunger is raised, the liquid from the cistern will follow said plunger, and, when the plunger descends, the valve c closes and the liquid is confined in the bottom part of the cylinder.

In order to allow this liquid to escape from the bottom part of the cylinder, a pipe, b, is provided, which can be opened or closed by means of a stop-valve" or cock c. If this cock is opened, the liquidin the bottom part of the cylinder will be gradually forced ont by the weight ofthe plunger; the plunger will gradually descend, and, ually, the balance-valve will be opened, and the time which it takes for the plunger to descend will be regulated by the area of the discharge-opening, which can be increased or decreased by means of the stop-.cock c.

In the plunger A is fitted a valve, d., the stein of which extends through the bottom of the cylinder O, and, as the plunger descends, said stem strikes the bottom of the cistern D, the valve d is raised from its seat, and the liquid under the plunger is allowed to rush up through the center of said plunger, allowing i the same to descend suddenly and to open the balancevalve with the required rapidity, and at the proper moment. f y

The seat of the valve d is below the surface of the liquid in the cistern, so that the entrance of .air through said valve is effectually prevented. l

When the pistou of the steam-cylinder approaches the bottom end of its stroke, (said cylinder being placed in al1 upright or inclined position) the crosshead or any other part connected to it strikes a -tappet-rod, and thereby the balance-valve is closed and the plu'ugerA ,is raised. The steam-piston now ascends, while the plunger A gradnallydescends with more or less velocity, according to the area of the dischargeopening l1 in the bottom part of the cataract cylinder Grand, by the time the steam-piston has reached the top end of its stroke, the plunger A has-descended a certain distance, and it continues to descend (the steampiston remaining stationary in the meantime) until the stem of the valve d strikes the bottom of the Acistern D, when, by lifting said valve, the plunger A is permitted to drop suddenly and thereby the balance-valve is opened, the stearnin the lower partof the steamcylinder is allowed to exhaust, and the steam-piston begins its downward stroke.

It will be readily understood that the time when the plunger A will trip the balance-valve can be regulated by lengthening or shortening the stem .of the valve d, and said stem can be so arranged that it can be lengthened or shortened either by a screw-thread or otherwise.

By imparting to the plunger a descending motion, in the manner above described, the exhaust-valve can be opened gradually and the steam-pistonv allowed to start on its d ownward stroke before the valve in the plunger, and with it the. exhaust-valve, are thrown wide open, and by these means sudden jars or jerks A are avoided, which are unavoidable if the main piston,

with all the rods attached to it are suddenly started from a state of rest.

What I claim as`new, and desire to secure by Letv ters Patent, is-

1. The mechanism herein described, for .operating the equilibrium or exhaust-valve of a steam-cylinder, consisting of a plunger which operates in a cylinder, and is provided with a valve which is lifted from its seat when the plunger has reached the desired point in its descent, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of 'the cistern D, cylinder C,

`plunger A, and valves a b d, substantially as herein shown and described.

JOHN STORER. YVitnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER. 

